Abstract
Plasma polymerization of hexafluorobenzene (HFB) was attempted in the presence of N2, water vapor and other gases. HFB is easily polymerizable in plasma, but is susceptible to degradation at higher discharge powers. By adding some carrier gases, the degradation was, however, remarkably suppressed and the polymer deposition rate increased. It was verified by the structural analyses by IR and ESCA that the copolymerization took place. Through the spectroscopic analyses, some characteristic changes could be pointed out in the copolymers; for example the incorporation of the functional groups from the added components, and the suppression of the opening of the aromatic ring of HFB. In the copolymers of HFB, the surface energy did not change so much, and the surface was still hydrophobic. When the hydrophilic comonomers were added too much during the copolymerization of HFB, the products became soluble in polar solvents. Water-ethanol permseparation was attempted by pervaporation, and slight ethanol concentration was achieved by the hydrophobic HFB and HFB-N2 plasma polymers.
